


A Ball of String

by Polkadotdotdot



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, I hate the term lover but there we go, Lack of Communication, Pining, Reylo - Freeform, Reylo fluff, Smut, Soft Boy Ben Solo, cap - Freeform, fuck buddies, i'm awful at tags, modern reylo, reylo au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 03:02:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17035334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkadotdotdot/pseuds/Polkadotdotdot
Summary: Ben and Rey have been best friends since college, eventually moving in together after graduation.Rey needs help out of a dry spell. Ben is more than happy to offer his services.No strings attached, right?





	A Ball of String

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ever-so-reylo (Ever_So_Reylo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ever_So_Reylo/gifts).



> This is a gift for the amazing Ever-So-Reylo who I stan like nobodies business and I'll admit I was SO NERVOUS to write this for!
> 
> I hope I've done your prompt justice - enjoy!

[](https://imgur.com/uXi4wSe)

“Shit…”

Rey vaguely patted at the chest of her top where the large drip of chunky monkey ice cream had landed. Really it was her own fault for letting the spoon wave in front of her face for so long, her eyes focused more on the TV than the sweet treat.

Who cared? It wasn’t like anyone was going to see her anyway. She lounged back on the sofa clad in the most glamorous combination of flannel, plaid pajama pants and an oversized sweater that didn’t even belong to her.

It belonged to Ben.

What was he doing now? Her lip curled thinking about it. He was probably chatting away, being his charming self with his dry but dorky sense of humor. She bet that his date was laughing, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder while batting her stupid extended eyelashes. Not that Rey knew the girl or had even laid eyes on her but she wasn’t in the mood for rational thinking.

“Urgh…slut,” she mumbled to herself, digging her spoon back into the rapidly melting tub, her fingers tingling from the cold.

It was rich of her to call the unknown girl a slut and she knew it. After all, it wasn’t like she was a beacon of virtue. She’d hopped into bed with him without much of a second thought.

Allie was kissing Noah in the rain. It was all incredibly romantic, and it made Rey want to hurl the half-eaten tub of ice cream at the screen. She sighed heavily, dropping the spoon into the tub with a splat.

How had it come to this? How had their casual arrangement grown so complicated? Now here she was on a Saturday night in December, sitting home alone with ice-cream trying not to think of the man she was in love with and what he was doing on a date with another woman.

Oh, and as if the situation couldn’t be any more depressing, she was wearing his clothes.

**_Three Months Previously_ **

“URGH!”

From his place on the sofa, Ben could hear her frustrated shout. The front door slammed followed by the sharp snap of high heels on the hardwood floor.

“How was your date?” He called, a knowing smile already forming on his face.

Ben and Rey had met in their second year of college, bonding over a love of 80s rock and B-movies, quickly becoming close friends. They were inseparable. Where Rey went, Ben was sure to follow. They were the pair that everyone insisted would make the best couple ever, confusing the rest of their circle when they always insisted that there wasn’t anything other than friendship.

When it came time to graduate and break into the big wide world of adult life, to save money, Ben and Rey had moved into an apartment together. An arrangement that suited them both and only added to the pressure from their friends.

Still in her little black dress, Rey stomped into the living room flat-footed, huffing as she went with her high heels in her hand. She grumbled under her breath, throwing herself down on the sofa next to him. Ben’s eyes glanced towards the hem of her skirt as it rode up her bare thigh, showing an expanse of skin he hadn’t expected.

“He was the freakin’ worst!” She groaned, “You should have seen how rude he was to the waitress! ‘ _Oh, and I just thought you should know I don’t like sharing’_ in a tapas restaurant he doesn’t like sharing!?”

Ben chuckled, swigging his beer. “I did tell you, corporate lawyers are the worst!”

“Aren’t you a lawyer?” Rey teased, sticking out her tongue at him and nudging him in the ribs with her elbow playfully.

“I specialize in family law,” he pointed out smugly, “I’d like to think I have a little more soul than that,”

Rey groaned, tipping her head against the back of the sofa, covering her face in her hands. “The worst part? I really thought he’d be the one to break it…”

“Break what?”

Suddenly Rey flushed, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “The, uh- nevermind,”

“No, come on, tell me,”

Her blush intensified, spreading across her the bare chest, visible from the scoop neck of her black skater dress. “The…dry spell I’ve been having,” she finally answered sheepishly. Ben smiled thoughtfully.

“Dry spell, huh?” he commented, “And you really thought that dude was going to be the guy?”

“Look, it’s been a really long time and after a while, a self-session doesn’t really cut it anymore!” she replied testily. Ben smirked. Clearly, she was far more wound up than she wanted to let on.

“You know, I could help you out there?” he said casually, looking back towards the TV as if he’d only commented on the weather. Rey stared at him, mouth hanging agape. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes continued to play on the TV in front of them.

“I- you what?”

“Hear me out,” he reasoned, looking back to her, “No strings attached, and it benefits both of us. Who knows you better than me, huh?”

“Won’t that make it weird?”

Ben shook his head. “It’s only weird if we make it weird and I don’t plan to. I’m just saying, the offer is on the table if you want to,”

Rey blinked at him while Ben simply went back to watching the movie. He’d made it sound like it was nothing as if he _hadn’t_ just casually told her that he’d happily have sex with her no strings attached.

Rey followed his gaze to the TV, sitting back against the cushions of the sofa to process his offer.

She wasn’t a prude. She’d had one-night stands and casual, short-lived, boyfriends but unlike some of her friends, the idea of ‘no strings attached’ had never been something she’d considered. She felt like she’d missed the moment everyone became cool with sex being a throwaway thing.

This wasn’t just anyone. This was Ben, her best friend, her partner in crime. If there was anyone she trusted, it was him. She wasn’t going to pretend she hadn’t checked him out more than once. Where he’d been lanky in his early twenties, now he’d grown into his body, filling out his six-foot-three frame with muscle she wasn’t aware he was capable of possessing. With his dark hair grown to his shoulders, those darker eyes and full lips, she’d have been lying if she said she hadn’t sneaked a peek at him wandering around their apartment half dressed.

Rey broke the silence between them. “ _If_ we were going to do this, how would it work?”

Ben frowned. “What do you mean?” He asked, “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Well, to you maybe!” Rey cried with embarrassment, “But I’ve never- this isn’t really my thing…”

Ben smiled, draining the last of his beer and placing the empty bottle on the table in front of him. He reached out and held her hand.

“We do whatever you’re comfortable with. It’s just sex, Rey,” he shrugged, “No big deal, right?”

“Um, right,” she muttered, fighting the urge to squirm where she sat, “So when do we start?”

“You want to do this?” he asked, his eyes wide with surprise. Rey nodded shakily.

“Yeah…Yes. I think that sounds…fine,”

“Fine?”

“Well- you know, more than fine. Good. Fun…” she mumbled, suddenly feeling nerves twist at her stomach.

“Rey?”

“Yes?”

“You’re babbling,” he smiled gently, “Just relax, okay? We can take this slowly,”

She nodded once more, jaw slack keeping her wide eyes fixed on his. The hand that had been holding her trailed up her bare arm, coming to cup her cheek.

“I’m going to kiss you and if you want me to stop, if you’re uncomfortable then tell me and we’ll stop,” he stated, a firmness behind his gentle tone.

His lips brushed hers in a featherlight touch, her eyes fluttering closed as she surrendered to the action. There was no awkwardness, no sudden rush of anxiety or mortification as she’d expected. Feeling her relax, he increased the pressure, tentatively licking at her lips silently asking permission. She moaned lightly, allowing him complete control, his hand migrating into her hair.

When he finally pulled back, she was left breathless, panting with kiss blushed lips and glazed eyes. Her gut twisted in anticipation and need, suddenly desperate to test the rest of their potential agreement.

“Awkward?” Ben asked cautiously, a careful smile on his face. Rey shook her head quickly.

“No! No, no…that was, um…so, what else did you have in mind?” she asked, still trying to catch her breath. Kylo grinned.

“Well, you mentioned that self-sessions weren’t doing it anymore,” he commented, “So I think it’s time you went Solo,”

“Lame…”

He gave her no further response, pulling her back to him with a crushing kiss, more intense than the first. Carefully he pushed her back against the sofa, Rey whining when he broke away from her lips to sink to his knees on the floor in front of her.

Teeth tugged at her bottom lip, she watched him place himself between her thighs, gently nudging her knees apart.

“Tell me to stop and I’ll stop, no questions,” he said clearly, watching for her nod of agreement. His large hands began at her bare knees, skimming up her thighs until he reached her hips below the thin fabric of her skirt, hooking his thumbs around the waistband of her panties to pull them away.

“Just relax, sweetheart,” he purred, “Let me take care of you,”

_Ha…alright…_

It was easier said than done considering her best friend’s head was suddenly between her thighs. She swallowed the lump in her throat, casting her gaze towards the ceiling to try and let her mind go blank.

Oral wasn’t something she’d had a lot of experience in, and the few sad attempts she’d experienced were nothing more than rushed and feeble. His stubble brushed the inside of her thigh as he slowly kissed and licked his way towards his goal. She gasped, unable to stifle the sound and she could feel his smile against her skin in response.

_Smug bastard…_

His arms wrapped around her thighs, forcing them apart to pull her into a better position. Not that Rey minded one bit. Provided he continued exactly what he was doing, she was putty in his hands.

He licked a long slow stroke through her folds, humming in satisfaction.

“You taste so good, sweetheart,” he praised, “I knew you’d have a perfect pussy,”

_Wait, what?_

He knew? Had he been thinking about this before? His tongue flicked over her swollen clit, drawing a strangled moan from her lips and quickly all questions that tumbled through her mind cleared. He continued his erratic pattern, latching his lips to her and sucking with a pressure that made her dizzy.

“Holy shit, Ben,” she groaned, her hips tilting unconsciously towards his face, “So good…so fucking good,”

“You need more baby? Don’t be shy, tell me what you need,” he breathed. Ignoring the way her heart fluttered at the term of endearment, Rey panted her instruction.

“Fingers…I need…,” she groaned, crying out with abandon when he instantly granted her request, two fingers sliding into her heat and curling expertly towards the spongy bundle of nerves he was seeking.

“Cum for me, sweetheart. Let go,”

The pressure grew too much, the feel of his mouth and hands pushing her straight over the edge with a ragged cry, her body almost curling inward and like the damn gentleman he was, Ben held her through it all, drawing out her orgasm until the feel of his tongue on her clit bordered on painful.

Thighs quivering still, he released her, his hair a mess when he emerged from under her skirt with a satisfied smile on his face.

“Okay- we’ll be doing that again,”

**_Present day_ **

Somewhere under the mountain of candy bar wrappers and used napkins, her phone was ringing.

Briefly, she considered ignoring it. There was nobody she really wanted to talk to, happy to wallow in her own angst. By the third attempt to reach her, Rey scattered the litter, grabbing her phone.

_Rose…_

“Hello?”

“I’m just calling to check you’re not hanging from your shower rod,” She heard her friend say. Rey rolled her eyes, shoving another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

“You’re about 3 hours too early for that,” she replied, her speech garbled from the food, “I am currently eating my feelings,”

“How long has it been since he left for his date?”

“2 hours, 15 minutes and 19 seconds but really, who is counting?” Rey drawled, sighing down the phone.

“Why don’t you message him? Tell him that you need to speak to him,” Rose suggested hopefully. Rey snorted, burying herself deeper into the sofa.

“What’s the point? He chose her!” She whined, “I made it really obvious that I liked him as more than a fuck buddy…”

“Did you though?” Rose asked suddenly. Rey paused.

_Did I?_

**_2 months previously_ **

“Oh fuck!”

His hand splayed across her back, between her shoulder blades pushing her chest further into the mattress and forcing her ass higher into the air, the position allowing him to fuck her deeper from behind.

“I know how you like it, baby,” he growled through gritted teeth, his hips smacking against hers with lewd, damp impact, “You love my cock pounding your pussy raw,”

A month since their arrangement had begun and the initial discomfort was gone. Ben knew her body, what she liked, what she didn’t, all her little tells that told him she was at breaking point. It made for the best sex she’d ever had with the added bonus that it was Ben.

His free arm circled around her hips, finding her soaked clit to rub random patterns that caused her to cry out with abandon, the pillow muffling her sounds. He was everywhere, invading every one of her senses. His massive body behind her, holding her still as he fucked her roughly, handprints on her ass cheeks and bite marks on her thighs.

If it wasn’t for his arm holding her hips, she was sure she would have collapsed to the bed as she came, her climax drowning her in wave after wave of intense release. With one final sharp thrust he followed, stilling with his hips flush against her body, his spend warming her insides and dripping down her thighs when he removed himself slowly.

Both panting for breath, Ben joined her on the bed, Rey gingerly rolling her sex-addled body into a more comfortable position. Hovering over her, he kissed her gently, fingers entwined in her messy hair.

“Fuck, that was amazing sweetheart,” he praised, rolling to his back once more. Rey smiled lazily, still basking in the afterglow and coming down from her high.

The first few times had seemed all business, so to speak. They had sex, they lay in bed for a while after then they carried on their lives as if nothing had happened. The original arrangement was no strings attached. Not that Rey had any other strings to think about. Since establishing their fuck buddy status she’d deleted Tinder from her phone and had barely thought about dating anyone else.

Rose, the only one of their friend group she’d told, was quick to remind her that wasn’t how fuck buddies were supposed to work.

What if Ben had strings? What if Ben had more than one string or worse? What if he had lots of non-strings that Rey wasn’t aware of? She squirmed slightly, the idea of trusting him not to use a condom making her feel uncertain but the thought had never once entered her mind.

Suddenly the idea of him making good on the purpose of ‘no strings attached’ made her feel uneasy. Unreasonable anger bubbled in her stomach, threatening to burst in a torrent of words that she was sure would come out garbled and incoherent. Surely, he would have mentioned if he’d been dating anyone?

This was _Ben_. She trusted Ben.

She loved Ben.

_Oh SHIT_

“Rey? Rey…” distantly she realized he was calling her name, his fingers snapping in front of her wide eyes still fixed on the ceiling of his bedroom.

“Huh? Oh, sorry, what did you say?”

“There you are. Thought I’d lost you for a sec,” he grinned, “I said what are your plans for the holidays?”

Rey shrugged, the sweat on her skill cooling as they lay there. “Probably the same thing I do every year. Chinese take-out and TV,” Ben frowned lightly.

“See, that’s no good,” he declared, “My Mom wants you to come to our place. Thanksgiving and Christmas, she hates the idea of you sitting home alone,”

His Mom. His Mom wanted her to come over for the holidays.

“And…do you want me to? Come over I mean?” she asked quietly, unsure and small. Ben nodded.

“Oh, yeah…yeah, course I do,” he assured quickly but Rey didn’t feel convinced, as if his answer was an afterthought only said to appease her.

“Well, I’ll think about it. I do love your Mom’s cooking though,” she said, forcing a smile. If he could play it cool then so could she, “Oh, by the way, my office is having this party. It’s no big deal, probably going to be kinda dull but there’s free wine and free food and I’ve to bring a plus one…if you wanted to come with?”

“I, uh…”

“I mean you don’t have to! As I said, it’s not a big deal,” Rey insisted, “I mean, I get it, you’re not my boyfriend,”

_That’s it. Let him know you’re still totally cool with no strings…_

A flicker of hurt passed through Ben’s dark eyes, barely noticeable as he swallowed thickly. The cocksure, relaxed smile on his face replaced with something fixed and false.

“Right, yeah…no strings attached,” He muttered, “But hey, sure, free wine is always a reason to go to a party!”

“Alright…great,”

“Great,”

**_Present Day_ **

“Okay, _maybe_ I didn’t” Rey groaned, brushing the Dorito crumbs from her shirt as she stood, wandering through to the kitchen, “but he wasn’t exactly open with me either _and_ he is the one who said yes to Poe’s stupid date thing!”

She heard Rose sigh on the other side of the line. “You know he probably wouldn’t have if he’d known how you felt about it!” she insisted, “Honestly, is it obvious to everyone except you two how madly in love you both are? For smart people, you sure miss a lot!”

“He never said anything…”

“Did you?”

Rey paused. Rose had her there. For all she complained about how Ben had never made it clear how he felt, she hadn’t exactly poured her heart out to him either. She grabbed another bottle of soda from the fridge, shuffling back through to the living room.

“I mean, no, I guess I didn’t. I thought he was happy with our arrangement and I didn’t want to ruin things!” she groaned.

“Call. Him.” Rose commanded sternly, “I’m telling you, call him or I _will_ get involved and you don’t want that!”

“Urgh. Fine. I will call him,” Rey sighed. Rose wished her well, saying her goodbye and instructing Rey to call or message the second she knew what was happening.

Had it really been so obvious to everyone? Rey grumbled under her breath, all the clues beginning to click into place as she scrolled through her phone. Her album was full of pictures and it was mainly of the two of them. Various selfies and moments stolen through a lens. She carefully watched his face in all of them. How could she have been so stupid?

Hell, they were each other’s phone wallpaper for crying out loud!

The final picture in her camera roll had been taken only a few weeks ago at the bar for Finn’s birthday. They were squeezed together in the middle of the booth. His arm was draped around her neck as it belonged there and while she was grinning at the camera, Ben’s eyes were trained on her, staring at her with an admiration that brought a lump to her throat.

She scrolled through her contacts, finding his name and hitting the call button.

_“Hi, this is Ben, leave a message and I’ll call you back,”_

Maybe this was easier. She didn’t have to deal with him directly and if he didn’t feel the same way, if her initial instincts had been right then they could act like it never happened.

_Message? What message?_

“Hi! Ben, it’s Rey. You probably already guessed that. I’m just calling because you’re on this date thing that Poe set you up on and you asked if it was fine and I said it was fine but…I don’t think you went into it with all the facts…I’m rambling. Sorry,”

Rey took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.

“I just called tell you that I love you,”

**_2 Weeks Previously_ **

“Happy Birthday Finn!”

The group chorused their good wishes, shot glasses clinking in a toast as they all threw back their drinks. The tequila burned the back of her throat, the citrus of the lime doing nothing to quell the taste. She giggled falling back against the booth. Ben’s arm was casually draped over her shoulders, his thumb tracing small circles on the bare skin of her arm.

Rose gave her a knowing smile from the other side of the small table, but if anyone else had noticed, they weren’t voicing their suspicions.

Unconsciously, Rey leaned closer into his body, happy to let alcohol take the blame for her actions over the truth of the matter. He smelled like coffee, sandalwood and Hugo boss, his skin warm and comforting against hers. For almost 6 weeks they hadn’t slept separately. Rey would try to tiptoe back to her own room only to find herself grabbed by his muscular arms and hauled back to the bed. He’d kiss away her giggles and they’d both fall back into a comfortable sleep.

Their arrangement was never brought up. He didn’t broach the subject of dating other people, but he also never spoke of officially declaring themselves a couple either, even though was basically what they were. Rey felt like she was left in limbo. They were Schrodinger’s relationship, neither one correct until someone made the first move. 

Why rock the boat if they had a good thing going?

“Hey, Ben, you seeing anyone right now?” Poe asked, finishing his drink to sit the glass on the table. Rose and Rey locked eyes, Rey hoping that her face didn’t give her away. At her side, Ben kept his features relaxed, shrugging his shoulders.

“I mean, uh, nothing official I suppose,” he muttered. Rey fought the wince from the pang that hit her stomach.

_Nothing official…_

“Great! You know my friend Kaydel? You met her a while back at my Halloween party? Well, she’s not stopped talking about you. You’re single, she’s single…what do you say I set you guys up?”

“I dunno, I’m not really into those kinds of arranged dates,” Ben said flippantly, sipping his bourbon, “and I only met her for less than an hour,”

“Come on! She’s nice, she’s pretty and I think you guys might really hit it- ouch!”

A foot collided with Poe’s shin under the table.

“Rose, what the hell?!”

“Oops,” Rose smile innocently, “Sorry ‘bout it,” Poe groaned, rubbing his rapidly bruising shin to alleviate the sting.

Rey’s eyes hadn’t left the table since Poe had begun to speak. There was no way she’d have been able to hide from Ben, but as her stomach churned and her eyes began to sting, she knew she had to try.

_This arrangement is fine. It suits. Don’t ruin it!_

“Excuse me,” She muttered quickly, gracelessly clambering her way out of the booth over the top of Hux and Phasma, the couple complaining over the noise of the music about Rey’s various limbs jabbing into them as she landed on the other side, walking as quickly as she could towards the front door.

She needed air.

She needed to think.

It was no strings attached, that’s what they’d agreed on and despite evidence to the contrary, that was still what it was. He hadn’t declared his undying love and told her that he wanted to date exclusively. She hadn’t either. Nothing had changed, and this was fine. It was all _fine._

Her breath misted the cold early December air as she pushed her way outside, suddenly wishing that she brought her coat upon realizing she was only wearing a skirt and short sleeved top. Leaning against the wall, she focused on her breathing. In and out. In and out. If she was calm, her heart would slow down and if her heart slowed down, she was less likely to suddenly burst into tears in the middle of Finn’s birthday party.

“Rey?”

_Not now. Please not now._

“Are you okay?”

He pulled his hands out of the pockets of his jeans, quickly pulling off his flannel shirt to offer her his warm clothing.

“Here, you’ll freeze to death,” he insisted. Slowly, Rey accepted his shirt. It was saturated in his scent, only forcing her heart to spike wildly, “So, are you okay? Sorry about Poe…”

“Oh, no it’s fine!” She insisted, “You should go. It sounds like it’ll be fun!” Ben blinked at her, his jaw working and his eyes searching her face.

“You…you want me to go?” he asked uncertainly, “On the date?”

_No…_

“If that’s what you want to do,” Rey replied, a smile forced on her face, “We’re not exclusive or anything. No strings, remember?” Ben clenched his teeth, his mouth a grim line as he nodded.

“No strings,” he mumbled. Rey frowned, unsure if she was imagining the bitterness in his voice, “Well, if that’s what you want- maybe I will go on that date then,”

“Great,” She snapped, “I hope you have a really good time,”

Ben was quiet, staring at her with intense scrutiny that rooted her where she stood. A slight tick jumped below his eye as he moved towards her, leaning his hand next to her head studying her features.

“Rey, I-” he stopped, sucking in a harsh breath.

“What?” she asked, a quiet plea for him to put her out of the misery she wasn’t brave enough herself to break. He shook his head.

“Nothing. No strings attached, right?” Rey nodded.

“Right,”

“Great,”

“Great,”

He pushed himself away from the wall, turning to head back into the bar. She missed the heat his body radiated immediately, pulling his shirt tighter around herself to save from the cold.

Hastily, she wiped her damp eyes, praying that her mascara wasn’t too smudged.

**_Present day_ **

It had been 3 hours, 34 minutes and 29 seconds since Ben had left for his date.

It had been 45 minutes since she had left a message on his phone confessing her feelings.

This meant one of a few scenarios. Either he hadn’t got her message and his date was going far better than Rey hoped, or he had received her message and he was ignoring it. Neither option was something she wanted to consider.

After the call she had wandered through to her own room, sneering at her reflection in the mirror. She was the walking embodiment of self-pity and while there wasn’t much, she could do about her red puffy eyes, there was no way he was coming home to see her living in a pit of her own take-out containers and tear-soaked tissues.

Like a whirlwind of self-belief and motivation, she grabbed every piece of trash she found, shoving it into a bag to clean the living room. This was followed by a change in clothes, stripping herself of the ice-cream stained sweater and opting for some yoga pants and a tank that made her feel human and less like the heartbroken gremlin she’d turned herself into.

Screw Ben Solo. He didn’t deserve her! This was it, this was the moment. She would take this set back and become a stronger woman for it. She’d write lists. She’d take up yoga. Maybe she’d finally take that trip around Europe she was always talking about. She was unchained, unattached and answered to nobody.

Who cared if her eyes stung and her hair was still unwashed. She was woman and she would roar.

“Rey?!”

_FUCK_

Ben appeared in the doorway of the living room, leaning on the frame heavily as he panted for breath.

“You…you love me?”

She stared at him wide-eyed, every female empowerment anthem that had been blaring in her head drowned out by the sound of her own thundering heartbeat. He’d heard the message. He’d heard the message and from the wild look on his face, she couldn’t tell if he was happy, furious or anything in between.

“You got my message then,” Rey mumbled, fidgeting with her fingers awkwardly. Within two strides he was directly in front of her, pushing his long hair out of his eyes.

“Please just give me a straight answer,” he said firmly, “How do you feel about me?”

Rey took a deep breath, the smell of his aftershave doing nothing for her sense of resolve. It was now or never. She tried to be bold, tilting her chin upwards as she spoke.

“I love you,” she replied softly, “I…I do. I am completely, crazy in love with you and I was so fucking sad that you went on that date tonight,”

His hand gently cupped her jaw, the pad of his thumb brushing her cheek as he smiled sadly.

“I only went on that date because _you_ told me to go,” he sighed, “Rey, I’m nuts about you. I think I always have been, but you seemed so happy with things the way they were, this whole ‘no strings’ arrangement…”

“No, _you_ were the one who suggested that!” Rey insisted, “I just- I thought that’s what you wanted. I didn’t want you to think I was getting clingy or wanting more than you did. I didn’t want to make things awkward between us!”

Ben snorted, laughing under his breath while shaking his head.

“We are fucking stupid,” he said simply, “I don’t want Kaydel, I don’t want no strings attached. I love you! I want you- strings and everything,”

Torn between laughing and crying, Rey chose the third option, physically leaping at his body to throw her arms around his neck, Ben barely flinching like the human pommel horse he was, holding her steady in the air as he kissed her in return.

He hadn’t even taken his coat off yet.

Her hands worked into his hair, fisting the tresses to pull him closer, her tongue sliding against his while teeth occasionally nipped at his bottom lip. While she was certain he could hold her there happily, her body needed more, her gut clenching with a need for him to escalate.

She felt him chuckle against her lips, her thighs tightening around his torso.

“What do you need baby?” he teased, pressing smaller, lighter kisses to her jaw like a signature, trailing a path down the column of her throat.

“You. Just you,” she breathed, “Bedroom- now!”

He laughed again against the point of her pulse, low and throaty, completely in control as he walked her to his room. A complete contrast since Rey felt like she was going to combust at any moment. Hands, lips, tongue, all of it. She wanted it all and while she normally relished his teasing ways, she didn’t want to have to murder him before their established relationship had really begun.

She was gracelessly deposited on his bed with a yelp, Ben throwing his wool coat to the floor, staring down at her with hungry eyes.

“Get those clothes off,” he commanded roughly, kicking off his boots and pulling off his own shirt. She’d never been so grateful to her past self for the wardrobe change, imaging that the yoga pants and tank were far more attractive than the combination she’d previously sported.

Clearly, she wasn’t moving quickly enough for his liking. Ben reached forward to grab the hem of the yoga pants, pulling them and her underwear away in one motion, the cool air of the bedroom prickling her skin. Finishing the job, her top joined the rest of the clothes on the floor.

He crawled over her body, his already solid cock smearing precum across her skin, fuelling the anticipation, her cunt clenching around nothing but air desperate to be filled.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” he awed, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her jaw. His hand ghosted down her body with featherlight touches, finding her damp folds. Methodically he explored her, his fingers testing and teasing by circling her clit and pushing in only enough to cause a frustrated growl.

“I wanted this for so long,” he drawled softly, continuing his exploration of her body until she was writhing and panting below him, “There’s never been anyone for me but you,”

It was all the things she wanted him to say, her back arching as he sunk two digits into her aching heat, working her with painful precision, fanning the flames but never pushing further. Tender was all well and good but if he didn’t make good on his silent promises, she was going to scream.

“Stop teasing me and fuck me,” she growled, her hand fisting in his hair to pull him back. Ben smiled wickedly, grinding his hips into hers, the length of his cock dragging through her soaked slit.

“Is that what you want?” he goaded, “You want fucked baby?” she nodded shakily, every tilt of his hips sending shocks around her over stimulated body.

_Teasing bastard…_

They’d had sex more times than Rey could count by this point. He knew her body, she knew his but as he pushed past her folds, it felt like the first time. The stretch offered a euphoric release finally getting what her body had been crying out for.

He rolled his hips slowly, his thrusts deep and precise, her body already primed to erupt from his previous attention. Her legs locked around his waist, fingers gripping the meat of his shoulders as he moved, his forehead pressed against hers. The teasing was over, replaced with an experience far more intimate, his dark eyes drilling into hers as he picked up his pace.

“I love you,” he panted, his head falling to her collar, an arm wrapping under her lower back to pull her closer. She cried out, the shift in angle causing him to continually hit her most sensitive nerves, “I fucking love you,”

“Oh my God, Ben- fuck…” she babbled, her thoughts too dizzy with sensation to do anything other than spout obscenities and encouragement.

“Cum with me baby, I’ve got you,”

He had her. He had all of her, sitting back to thrust relentlessly until she couldn’t take it any longer, watching her with a kind of reverence she’d never experienced. Her whole body convulsed, her legs locking tightly around his body as she came, nails raking across his skin and a distorted cry on her lips.

He slowed his movements, working her through every aftershock until his hips stuttered, spilling his release with a low, throaty groan against her neck.

Covered in a sheen of sweat, together they lay quietly, the only sounds their ragged breathing as their heart rates fell back to a regular rhythm. Carefully he rolled from her body, immediately pulling her against his chest as if the idea of any distance was inconceivable.

Outside, in the darkness of the December night, snow began to fall.

***

“Do you think they’re going to freak out?” Rey asked Ben as they walked hand in hand together, “I mean, Rose won’t cause she already knows,”

“I highly doubt there’s going to be any kind of freaking happening,” Ben smiled, “They’ve all been calling this since we were in college,”

“Well…they were kinda right,” she teased, wrapping herself around his arm. The snow on the ground crunched beneath their boots

“Tell me again how you managed to convince me to go to a Christmas sweater party?” Ben groaned, Rey beaming up at him with pink tinted cheeks, bringing them to a halt outside the bar.

“Because you love me,” she grinned. Ben smiled in return, bending down to kiss her expectant lips.

“God help me, I do,” he murmured, “Come on, let’s get this over with,”

His ears were immediately assaulted by Maria Carey and her famous high notes, the bar full of people all wearing obnoxiously festive clothing. Across the room, Rose was standing on her chair, frantically waving in their direction.

“You guys made it!” she enthused, “We were putting bets on how long it would take you to convince Ben to come,”

“Oh, I can be very persuasive,” Rey winked, Rose giving her a conspiratorial thumbs up.

“So, come on then. Let’s see what you guys have got!” Poe insisted, gesturing to his own sweater, bright green with a snowman on the front.

They removed their coats, Rey’s sweater crimson with the slogan ‘Merry Christmas ya filthy animals’ on the front while Ben’s was dark green and embellished with a traditional Nordic pattern. It was the best Rey could get out of him.

Settling themselves in around the table, presented were distributed among the friends, frantic tearing of paper and opening of boxes punctuated with shouts of ‘Thank you’ and ‘you shouldn’t have’. Rey picked up a smaller bag, handing it to Ben.

“What’s this then? We’ve already exchanged gifts,” Ben warned, the rose gold locket he’d bought her already hanging proudly around her neck. Rey smiled.

“Just open it,”

He reached into the bag, the confusion on his face only growing as he felt around, grabbing the object and pulling it into the open.

A ball of string.

“You know? Strings and all,” Rey winked, Ben laughing loudly at the ridiculousness of the gift and how sentimental it was all at once.

“I love you,” he said sincerely, cupping the back of her neck to pull her into a sweet kiss, his lips softly caressing hers.

From across the table, Poe choked on his drink.


End file.
